Oncology
(28/10/09)
The diagnosis and treatment of cancer remains a major challenge. There are many types of cancer, each having its own causative risk factors, pathological characteristics and prognosis. These factors, plus the stage at which the cancer is diagnosed, differ even between individual cases.
What is cancer?
Cancer refers to any one of a large number of diseases characterized by the development of abnormal cells that divide uncontrollably and have the ability to infiltrate and destroy normal body tissue. Cancer cell can spread throughout the body. The word cancer is derived from the Greek word for crab, presumably because when this malignant tumour spreads into adjoining tissue, it resembles the claws of a crab reaching out.
How does cancer develop?
The organs of the body are made up of cells. Cells divide and multiply as the body needs them. When these cells continue multiplying when the body doesn't need them, the result is a mass or growth, also called a tumour.
These growths are considered either benign or malignant. Benign is mass of normal cells and is considered non-cancerous and malignant is mass of abnormal cells and is considered as cancerous. Benign tumours rarely are life threatening and do not spread to other parts of the body. They can often be removed.
What is a solid tumour?
In discussing tumours that are malignant (cancerous), the term solid tumour is used to distinguish between a localized mass of tissue and tumours which affect circulating cells, part of the blood and the immune systems.
Different kinds of solid tumours are named for the type of cells of which they are composed:
- in terms of basic function of the cell (glandulation, epithelial, ...). As an example sarcomas are cancers arising from connective or supporting tissues, such as bone or muscle and carcinomas are cancers arising from the body's glandular cells and epithelial cells, which line body tissues.
- in terms of specific organ function (breast, pancreas, leng, ...).
Dr. Anne Bancillon
MSL European Director
Medical Affairs
Cephalon Europe